QATAR GP SET TO GO AHEAD AS MOST TRAVEL DESPITE SAFETY CONCERNS

MotoGP organisers have signalled that the Qatar Grand Prix is expected to go ahead in November, despite continuing concerns about security and travel in the region.

Carlos Ezpeleta, representing MotoGP’s Sports Entertainment Group, visited officials at the Lusail International Circuit in Doha. The visit was intended to underline that the event can be held safely. The race, originally scheduled for April and postponed by almost seven months amid tensions around the Persian Gulf, is due to take place on 8 November, with the event period beginning on 6 November.

The postponement followed the outbreak of the Iran war in late February. Commercial flights through Doha, a major international hub, were disrupted for around seven weeks. Flights are now operating without restrictions, meeting one basic condition for staging the event. After visiting Doha, Ezpeleta returned to Sepang and briefed MotoGP personnel on the situation. He also spoke in person with premier-class riders, as concern about the Qatar race became a major topic in the paddock.

Abdulrahman Al Mannai, managing director of Qatar’s Social and Sport Contribution Fund, welcomed the visit. “We are delighted to have welcomed Carlos Ezpeleta to Lusail International Circuit,” he said. “The countdown is on and we are ready to welcome the riders, teams and fans back to Qatar.” Ezpeleta was accompanied by public-relations representative Michael Gibson and FIM officials.

The visit may also be significant for Formula 1, which, like MotoGP, is owned by Liberty Media. F1 faces its own uncertainty over the planned season-ending races in Qatar and Abu Dhabi in late November and early December.

For MotoGP, questions remain despite the organisers’ confidence. Several governments continue to issue travel warnings for the region, and Yamaha and Honda are planning to send reduced-size teams to Qatar. Riders raised concerns at a meeting in Australia and sought assurances about the event. According to the earlier report, Liberty’s position is that only the Qatari government can provide the guarantees they requested.

Speedweek reports that some paddock staff have told their employers they will not travel, although most are expected to make the trip. The article describes a conflict between personal fears and the championship’s schedule: a renewed shutdown of flights could leave the MotoGP contingent stranded, while the remaining rounds in Portimao and Valencia still need to be held. It also notes that the risk assessment is based on current facts, which presently allow the race to proceed, even as political developments could quickly worsen the situation.